1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an integrated and automated system for the rapid removal of integrated circuit (IC) assemblies from a burn-in board or other device under test (DUT) board which will differentiate between and separate physically acceptable and unacceptable IC assemblies and dispense the acceptable IC assemblies into suitable IC carriers for further processing or shipping.
2. Prior Art
This invention is designed to implement and be used in conjunction with a newly developed "Integrated Circuit Removal Apparatus", U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,849. It use is not limited to this application and other applications may be obvious to those skilled in the art.
Two other IC assembly removal systems are notable in prior art. One system, called the UNloader (TM), is produced by Reliability, Incorporated of Houston, Tex. In its several models it provides a rapid means for removing IC assemblies from sockets on burn-in boards. It uses a low angle, wedge shaped extractor to disengage the assemblies from the sockets on the boards. The assemblies are then held in reservoirs at the base of each extractor until release into IC carrier tubes.
A second IC assembly removal system is manufactured by IDEA, Incorporated of Torrance, Calif. This employs an insertion means which uses a finger to fit into the groove in the burn-in socket between the socket and the assembly to allow for perpendicular removal of the assembly.
Neither of the two systems appears to have the automatic features to be described in this invention nor do they have the ability to automatically distinguish and separate physically acceptable from unacceptable IC assemblies prior to loading them into carrier tubes.